61-65

Chapter 61: The Evil God Will Grant Your Wish

It is worth mentioning that after Kaneki's analysis of those natural energy potions, it was basically confirmed that the stuff should be snake saliva.

To put it simply, it's snake drool.

This discovery made Kaneki's forehead break out in a cold sweat, but there was nothing he could do.

Because it did indeed help humans perceive and absorb natural energy faster.

After getting rid of the feeling of disgust, what Kaneki had left was a strong interest.

Just saliva has the effect of absorbing natural energy, so what should the snake's body be like?

Is it already a sage who can successfully master natural energy?

Thinking of this, Kaneki became even more excited.

Because at this moment, there was a more perfect subject in front of him, a human who could automatically absorb natural energy and perfectly withstand the riot of natural energy.

Just as Kaneki was about to speak to persuade this young man to become his experimental subject, Jugo himself spoke first.

"My lord, I want to beg you, let me follow you!"

Jugo knelt directly in front of Kaneki and pleaded respectfully.

Kaneki raised his eyebrows, then thought of the kindness emanating from Jugo and the houses that collapsed due to his rampage, and he understood.

"Are you afraid that you will continue to go berserk and hurt others?"

A bitter look appeared on Jugo's face.

"Yes, even though I have locked myself up, my body sometimes involuntarily enters that violent state."

"So I want to follow you, my lord, and ask you to stop me when I go berserk!"

After saying this, Jugo seemed to feel a little sorry, and hurriedly added: "I know this will be a big trouble for you, my lord, so as long as you can accept me, I am willing to do anything for you!"

"Is that so?"

Kaneki pushed his glasses and said lightly:

"You can follow me, but I will study your body to find a way to control it. Can you accept that?"

Hearing this, Jugo agreed without hesitation.

"Yes! As long as it allows me to not hurt ordinary people."

Hidan held the March Blood Scythe and rolled his eyes frantically at Kaneki.

Didn't he just hear this dialogue a few days ago? He didn't even bother changing it!

Now that the agreement had been reached, Kaneki took Jugo back to the church.

"Quite a harvest."

Kaneki had a faint smile on his face.

Hidan squinted at Kaneki: "I say, you guy, you spent so much effort, it can't be just for this brat, right?"

The already cold coffee was picked up again, Kaneki took a sip without caring, and then said: "Of course not only that, don't worry, you will witness a very interesting..."

"Ritual!"

"Ritual?"

Hidan muttered and didn't ask any more questions.

After all, that guy was always mysterious, talking about rituals, truth, inhumanity and the like.

He couldn't understand it at all.

But speaking of rituals, Hidan remembered that the last time Kaneki called something a ritual was the Sakamoto Trading Company incident, right?

He quietly looked at Kaneki, but in the end he didn't see any flaws.

In the church, the mist of coffee gradually rose.

Outside the church, the rain kept falling.

After the two foreigners easily subdued the monster Libra and showed their strength, the residents of the town began to look at the church with awe.

Some even with active minds were already thinking about whether they should take out some money and offer it to the church.

In the rain, a pair of eyes fell on the holy church.

It was a middle-aged woman, she was wearing ragged clothes, straw sandals on her feet, and a hot child in her arms.

The woman looked at the outer circle and inner triangle pattern at the entrance of the church, and remembered the scene of Kaneki easily solving Jugo a few hours ago. She finally made up her mind and walked towards the church.

Walking into the church, a warm and soft atmosphere immediately enveloped the woman.

What caught her eyes was pure white, rows of neat seats, and a long table in the middle with fresh and juicy fruits of various colors and a jar of honey, embellishing this white world with rich colors.

Even the faceless statue in the center seemed to be showing a merciful smile to the woman at this time.

This place was completely different from the outside world.

Feeling the beauty in front of her, the woman suddenly felt a little regretful.

She looked at her ragged clothes and muddy footprints, as if it was her appearance that broke and defiled the beauty in front of her.

The woman stood there for a while, at a loss.

Until the young man in the black trench coat and black-framed glasses showed a gentle smile and asked: "Hello, I am the pastor here, may I ask if you need any help?"

Kaneki's words broke the peace, and the woman finally woke up from that strange feeling and knelt directly at Kaneki.

"Pastor, please save my son, he is sick, please save him!"

After saying that, regardless of whether Kaneki could do it or not, the woman kowtowed to him.

Kaneki walked quickly to the woman, reached out and helped her up.

"Please get up, rest assured, there is nothing in this world that Lord Evil God cannot do."

His voice seemed to carry a special magic power, instantly calming the anxiety in the woman's heart, and she didn't even care about the special name of Lord Evil God.

"Really? Is it really possible?"

Hope appeared in the woman's eyes.

"Of course."

Kaneki showed a just right smile.

"Lord Evil God will not refuse any loyal believer."

"However, to obtain the Lord's blessing, you must first be His faithful believer."

Hearing Kaneki's words, the woman instantly knelt down towards the statue, praying with her hands clasped together.

Kaneki smiled slightly, not caring about the woman's untimely prayer movements.

After all, he didn't know what kind of movements Lord Evil God liked.

"Lord Evil God feels your sincerity. Next, what are you willing to offer to the Lord? To save your son."

Kaneki's voice was quite flat, but it was like the whisper of a devil.

"What can I offer to the Lord?"

The middle-aged woman's face was full of confusion, what could she offer? She had nothing left!

The rest, only her son... and her own life.

She looked at her son in her arms, her heart hardened, and said to Kaneki: "As long as I can save my son, I am willing to give my life!"

Kaneki nodded in satisfaction: "Just to treat your son, you don't need to give your life, just your arm."

"Are you willing?"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 62: Praise the Evil God

Twenty minutes later, the woman left, overjoyed, holding her son in her arms.

Almost instantly, the surrounding residents gathered around her.

They were all locals and familiar with the woman's situation.

Years ago, her husband had died as collateral damage during a ninja conflict.

Left with just her and her son, she had barely been able to scrape by, often struggling to find food.

Troubles always seem to find the weakest links. A few days ago, her son came down with a persistent high fever. Although she sought help from the town's doctor, her lack of money meant he received no proper treatment.

Desperate, she brought her child to the newly built temple, hoping for a miracle.

After all, someone capable of subduing the monstrous Libra so effortlessly was clearly no ordinary person.

“How did it go? Did those two strangers really heal your child?”

The residents surrounded the woman, eagerly asking questions.

She was a bit dazed. Ever since her husband’s death, no one had spoken to her like this.

The woman glanced back at the church. Its warm, gentle light shone through the rain, like a beacon.

She smiled.

Her radiant smile seemed to drive away the clouds. The child in her arms suddenly opened his eyes and laughed gleefully.

“The great Lord has driven away my child’s illness!”

“Praise the great Lord!”

Holding her child close, the woman’s face glowed with fervent devotion.

The people reached out to touch the child’s forehead, astonished. “He’s better. He’s really better.”

“It seems that god truly possesses divine power.”

Some people stared at the church, its soft light glowing invitingly, their hearts stirring.

If this god could heal a child’s illness, perhaps he could grant their other desires too?

“Keiko, did the priest ask for money? Or did he want you to do something else?” someone asked.

Everyone knew Keiko’s circumstances. Since she had no money, they suspected that what she could offer might be… limited.

Sensing the indecent thoughts in their minds, Keiko snorted coldly. “The great Lord’s power is beyond your comprehension. Don’t insult Him with your vile imaginations.”

With that, Keiko turned and left, holding her child tightly.

Her story quickly spread throughout the small town.

Many people went to her house to hear more details. When questioned, Keiko explained truthfully, “I offered to give my life, but the merciful Lord said it wasn’t necessary. All He asked for was one of my arms.”

“Then why is your arm still there?”

The people stared at Keiko’s arm, their curiosity burning.

Keiko looked at her hand and smiled mysteriously. “Why else would He be called the Merciful Lord? Perhaps it was just a test.”

The townspeople exchanged uncertain glances. If that were true, did it mean they could bask in the Lord’s blessings without paying any real price?

Rumors spread, and the town buzzed with excitement.

That night, a figure slipped into the church.

Once again, the Lord’s holy light enveloped the world.

This time, it was a disheveled, obese middle-aged man.

“Is there something I can help you with, sir?”

Kaneki, wearing his perfect, unshakeable smile, stood in the warm, gentle glow of the church. His demeanor inspired trust.

“Uh… I heard the Lord can grant wishes. Is that true?”

The man hesitated, unsure. He knew the person before him wielded immense power, so he dared not be too forward.

Kaneki smiled faintly. “Of course. The Lord’s light shines upon all.”

Hearing this, the man relaxed a bit and cautiously said, “Well, the thing is… my business investment failed, and I need some money to get through this. Could the Lord possibly help?”

“Certainly.”

Without hesitation, Kaneki pulled out a bundle of bills from his coat. Each note was worth 100,000 ryo.

The man’s eyes lit up at the sight of the money, as if seeing salvation itself. His mouth watered uncontrollably.

Just as he reached out to grab it, Kaneki withdrew the money.

“Of course, the money is yours. But, sir, what will you offer in return to the great Lord?”

The man froze, then remembered what Keiko had said: it was just a test. No matter what he offered, the Merciful Lord wouldn’t actually take it.

With that in mind, the man boldly declared, “I am willing to offer my everything to the Lord!”

“Everything?”

Kaneki’s smile widened.

“This amount of money isn’t worth your ‘everything.’ All I need is your body. How about that?”

The man nodded without hesitation. Since it was all just talk, what harm could it do?

“I agree!”

“Deal.”

As soon as Kaneki’s words fell, he handed the money to the man.

Grabbing the money, the man knelt and bowed to the statue several times before dashing out into the rain.

As for his promise to offer his body, it was already forgotten.

Seeing this, Jugo, who had been silently watching from the side, couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Lord Ken, I know that man. He’s nothing but a compulsive gambler, not a businessman! He’ll just gamble all that money away!”

Kaneki’s expression didn’t change, but Hidan spoke first. “Kid, you don’t understand this guy. From the moment we entered this town, everyone here has been under his watchful eye. Do you really think he wouldn’t know that guy’s a gambler?”

“Then why—”

Jugo was baffled. Why give so much money to a gambler?

“It’s just a transaction,” Kaneki said calmly. “Now, his body no longer belongs to him. It belongs to the Lord.”

Adjusting his glasses, Kaneki looked at Jugo and smiled. “You didn’t think I was joking about the transaction, did you?”

In that moment, Jugo felt a terrifying shock in his heart.

“You mean—”

Kaneki chuckled. “Relax. What I want to show you is far from over. Just watch.”

Jugo fell silent, standing like a statue in the corner of the church.

As Hidan said, Kaneki had known all along who the man was. He also knew that the man was likely already at the casino, and it wouldn’t be long before he lost everything and was thrown out.

But what did that matter?

As Kaneki had said, it was just a transaction.

After the gambler’s story spread, more people came quietly to the church.

There were poor souls dreaming of instant success, prostitutes wishing to reclaim their purity, avengers seeking vengeance, and gamblers desperate for a second chance.

In the end, the church became the town’s most popular destination, drawing nearly everyone.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 63: Trading My Soul for a Lollipop*

“Father, my family truly has no food left. Could you ask the Lord to grant us some provisions?”

Keiko stood before Kaneki. The once pure and holy church had now been tinged with streaks of gray and white.

No matter how excessive the requests, Kaneki always maintained his perfectly measured smile. The townspeople had long regarded him as the earthly incarnation of the Great Lord.

As long as you believed in the Great Lord, this kind priest would grant all your desires.

As was his custom, Kaneki asked calmly, “What can you offer the Lord in return?”

Keiko quickly smiled. Of course, it was that question again.

“I can offer my heart!”

Kaneki shook his head. “Your heart no longer belongs to you.”

Despite the eerie tone of his words, Keiko seemed unfazed and responded casually, “Then how about my liver? My kidneys? My soul, even? I’ll give anything to the Great Lord!”

A small boy who had been following Keiko also smiled cheerfully. “Father, I’m a believer too! Can I trade my soul for a lollipop?”

Kaneki chuckled.

“Of course.”

He flipped his hand, producing a lollipop, bent down to hand it to the boy, and affectionately patted his head.

He then instructed Juugo to fetch a large sack of grain and give it to Keiko.

As Keiko prepared to leave joyfully, Kaneki reminded her, “Miss Keiko, your soul no longer belongs to you.”

“Haha, it’s fine. I’m willing to offer everything to the Lord.”

Kaneki nodded, saying no more.

After Keiko left, Juugo spoke with a complicated expression. “Lord Ken, I went out yesterday to look around. The entire town... it’s like no one is working anymore.”

“The fields are abandoned, the crops wasted. The men spend their days gambling and carousing, while the women lie idle at home.”

He couldn’t understand how, in just one month, the once peaceful village had fallen into such disarray.

“This is human weakness, Juugo,” Kaneki said as he adjusted his glasses and gently closed the church doors.

“When you grant a wish unconditionally, what follows is insatiable greed. The easier it is to obtain something, the more it leads people to corruption.”

“When one can reap without sowing, why would they ever choose hard labor?”

“It’s a pity they don’t realize—or perhaps refuse to believe—that every gift comes with a hidden price.”

Juugo clearly saw a cold glint flash across Kaneki’s glasses.

He had done this intentionally.

Juugo was well aware of it.

Yet the townspeople’s desires were also genuine. Perhaps some sensed the danger lurking beneath the surface, but swept up in the fervor, they chose to ignore the unfavorable truths.

Just like Keiko.

At first, she sought help from the church only out of desperation. After Kaneki healed her son, she lived in fear for days, worrying she’d wake up to find her arms missing.

But days passed, and nothing happened.

Encouraged by the massive benefits the other townspeople received from the church, she couldn’t resist any longer. For the first time, she asked for food.

Initially, she intended to ask just once to get through the tough times, planning to repay it when her crops yielded a harvest.

But the next morning, when she saw the empty fields with not a soul in sight, she wavered.

If everyone could get enough food from the church, why bother farming?

Surely, praising the Lord’s name was enough, wasn’t it?

Then it was her heart, her lungs, her liver, kidneys, brain, her entire body—even her soul.

“You’re one for dark humor, aren’t you?”

Hidan looked at Kaneki with disdain. “At least I just kill people and offer them to Lord Jashin. You actually enjoy toying with their minds.”

Kaneki shook his head, his face devoid of any expression. “Why let them die quickly when they can savor their downfall first?”

Juugo reflected on everything that had happened over the past month. His still-developing worldview was being profoundly shaken.

So this... is what humans are like?

Far from the church, deep underground, stood a colossal humanoid statue.

Its massive roots extended endlessly, and ten tightly shut eyes adorned its face. Its outstretched hands formed a giant platform, each finger large enough for a person to stand on.

Suddenly, the air above one finger distorted, and a figure cloaked in black with a tiger-striped mask appeared.

Two more black-clad figures, a man and a woman, materialized on adjacent fingers.

Their long black robes were decorated with crimson cloud patterns.

“Why have you summoned us?”

The orange-haired man, whose nose was pierced by three black rods, spoke.

“No need to rush, Pain,” the masked man replied in a playful tone. “Zetsu recently found someone interesting near the borders of the Land of Rain.”

The man addressed as Pain opened his eyes, revealing a pair of violet orbs emanating an overwhelming, otherworldly presence.

Ah, the Rinnegan.

The masked man marveled silently, though it wasn’t the first time he’d been awed by that power.

“Who is it?” Pain asked, his voice cold and firm.

The blue-haired woman beside him also looked intrigued, curious about someone Zetsu would deem “interesting.”

Instead of answering, the masked man gestured toward another finger, where a figure emerged from a plant-like cocoon.

The newcomer was bizarre: half his body was white, the other half black, with green hair and a stitched-together appearance.

“I found someone who might be worth recruiting,” said Zetsu. “He’s a former member of the Jashin cult in the Land of Rivers. Seems capable—recently set up a church near the Land of Rain’s border, claiming to grant people’s wishes.”

He glanced at Pain with his green eyes. “Care to test him? He might be a valuable ally.”

Pain’s expression didn’t change, but the blue-haired woman frowned. “The Jashin cult?”

Zetsu quickly explained, “A minor sect from the Land of Rivers that worshipped Jashin. It was wiped out recently—apparently by two individuals calling themselves ‘children of God.’”

Pain surveyed the group before him and said indifferently, “Four members isn’t enough. It’s time to recruit more.”

“Konan, you’re coming with me.”

“Understood.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 64: The Blasphemers*

Amid the rain, the glow of the church seemed to shine even brighter.

Two figures emerged from the forest, silently tearing through the curtain of rain.

Konan gazed at the town ahead and furrowed her brows once again.

Every house in the small town was lit with a warm orange glow.

Because of the rainy weather, it was hard to tell the exact time, but it seemed to be around noon.

The townsfolk had begun preparing their meals, and the faint aroma of food lingered in the air.

The surrounding fields displayed a scene of abundance: the wheat swayed healthily, its grains full and ready to burst.

Though the town appeared peaceful and welcoming, Konan couldn’t shake off an odd, unsettling feeling that lingered in her heart.

“Something feels off,” she remarked.

“Stay alert,” Pain responded, nodding as he led Konan into the town.

The streets were eerily deserted. As they passed by, windows would crack open slightly, shadowy figures peeking through as if monitoring their every move.

Exchanging a glance, Konan and Pain chose not to dwell on it.

After all, the Land of Rain was a chaotic nation, and it wasn’t unusual for its people to be wary of outsiders.

As they continued walking, they came across a casino. The raucous noise inside pierced through the sound of the rain, reaching their ears clearly.

Pain’s sharp gaze bypassed the casino and landed on the white church at the end of the street.

“Let’s head straight there.”

“Alright,” Konan replied, nodding. The inexplicable sense of unease weighed heavily on her chest.

Still, as long as they found the priest that White Zetsu had mentioned, things should be fine, right?

As for an ambush—she doubted any threat in the Land of Rain could pose a challenge to her and Pain together.

Just as they were about to head to the church, the cacophony from the casino abruptly ceased.

“Why are you heading to the church?”

A cold voice came from behind. At some point, the casino doors had swung open, and the gamblers within had stepped into the street, staring coldly at their backs.

Konan frowned and turned. “Why? Is there some rule that prohibits us from going to the church?”

At her words, more townsfolk began to pour out of the houses on either side of the street, surrounding the two outsiders like a rising tide.

“The church is where we worship our great Lord. Only the most devout believers are worthy of entering.”

“That’s right! It’s the Lord who has blessed us with food, flesh, souls, and rebirth!”

“You outsiders are unworthy of becoming the Lord’s followers!”

“Our great Lord!”

Bizarrely, all the townsfolk raised their hands in unison and began chanting the Lord’s name, leaving Konan utterly perplexed.

Pain squinted and turned his gaze to the church glowing softly through the rain.

Konan glanced at him and asked, “Did you notice something, Pain?”

Without answering her, Pain raised his hands and clapped them together with force.

“Release!”

A massive surge of chakra erupted from Pain, washing over the entire town like a tsunami.

Under the influence of his chakra, the pristine houses quickly decayed into ruins, the once-thriving fields of wheat rotted into piles of withered stalks, and the overflowing food stores turned into squirming, deformed maggots.

Realizing the drastic change around them, the townsfolk instinctively reached into their pockets.

Sure enough, the silver coins and gold they had been clutching had transformed into bloody human skins and slimy eyeballs dripping with mucus!

Suddenly, a melodic bell rang out from the church.

With the chime came an overwhelming chorus of sacred hymns, reverberating in their ears.

“It’s them! These outsiders are to blame!”

“They’ve angered our great Lord!”

“The Lord has decreed divine punishment!”

“Capture these blasphemers! Burn them to appease the Lord’s wrath!”

“Our great Lord, do not abandon us!”

The bell’s toll sent the entire town into a frenzy. Wails and shouts erupted, filling Pain and Konan’s ears like a chorus from hell.

The world around them began to distort. The ground rippled like waves, and the houses stretched and contorted, converging toward the two at the center.

“Another illusion,” Pain muttered in a low, icy tone. A terrifying fury radiated from him.

As a wielder of the Rinnegan, he had never been so deeply ensnared by an illusion.

“Break!”

Miles away, a red-haired man widened his eyes, unleashing a powerful surge of chakra that obliterated every illusion targeting Pain.

When it was over, Konan was drenched in sweat.

But the ordeal was far from finished.

Though the world had ceased its distortions, the townsfolk surrounding them began to mutate grotesquely. Fanged mouths grew from their torsos, compound eyes bulged unnaturally, and writhing tentacles sprouted from their bodies.

“Blasphemers must die!”

The monstrous crowd’s unified roar surged toward them like a tsunami of sound.

“Is this also an illusion?” Konan’s face had gone pale. Despite years of countless battles, she had never encountered one so strange.

Pain shook his head.

His Rinnegan’s sensory abilities confirmed the horrifying truth—these twisted creatures were, indeed, human.

“I’m not sure how, but this is real.”

As the horde charged, Pain wasted no time activating his power.

Rising into the air, he spread his arms wide, unleashing a devastating force from within.

“Shinra Tensei!”

A violent shockwave exploded outward from Pain, obliterating everything in its path—air, buildings, earth, and the grotesque monsters—all crushed into fragments.

In an instant, the entire town center was engulfed in blinding white light, leaving nothing but a crater behind.

When the light faded, the remains of shattered bodies littered the ground. Many had been pulverized into unrecognizable pulp.

“Such an impressive ability,” a voice remarked.

Through the thick smoke, two figures emerged. Smirking, Kaneki adjusted his glasses.

Beside him, Hidan surveyed the carnage and sneered. “Idiot Kaneki, a month of experiments, all wiped out in one move.”

Kaneki remained unfazed. “It was just an experiment. Losing it doesn’t matter.”

In that month, he had already gathered enough data.

“To you, the lives of so many are just an experiment?”

Pain’s Rinnegan locked onto Kaneki, his gaze unreadable and emotionless.

End of Chapter  

*Chapter 65: Pain's Invitation*

Kaneki smiled faintly. "To be precise, both the bodies and the souls of these people were willingly offered to the Evil God."

"Let me correct you on one thing—this is merely a ritual of the Evil God. As for me, at best, I’m nothing more than..."

"A tool."

Kaneki maintained his smile, meeting the pale purple eyes across from him head-on.

Although he wasn’t sure what bloodline ability this was, Kaneki could sense the terrifying power emanating from those eyes.

The immense repulsive force displayed earlier was already enough to astonish him.

But no power in this world is invincible. No matter how formidable it may seem, there are always flaws and weaknesses to exploit.

"Another so-called god."

Pain’s eyebrows finally furrowed slightly. Ever since he had entered this small town, the name of this "god" was the one thing he had heard the most.

Standing beside him, Konan’s expression was equally grim. Even after enduring countless brutal battles, she still struggled to stomach the soul-rotting stench she had just experienced.

Suppressing her inner disgust, she spoke to Pain. "Don’t forget why we’re here this time."

Pain nodded and turned to Kaneki. "My name is Pain. This is my companion, Konan."

"We’re here to invite both you and Hidan to join the Akatsuki."

"The Akatsuki?"

Kaneki raised an eyebrow in surprise.

His insects had never caught word of this name from anyone nearby.

And these two individuals appeared so suddenly—it meant they had the ability to evade detection by his bugs. Could it be due to those eyes?

Kaneki paid extra attention to Pain’s powerful eyes.

"That’s correct."

Seeing that Kaneki didn’t immediately reject the offer, Pain continued explaining, "The Akatsuki is a powerful organization made up of rogue ninjas from various villages. If you join, the organization will provide protection for you. In return, your task will be to assist us in capturing the Tailed Beasts. Ultimately, with the power of the Tailed Beasts, we aim to intimidate the great nations and achieve true peace."

"Capturing the Tailed Beasts, huh?"

Kaneki adjusted his glasses. This guy sure had a lot of confidence.

By now, Kaneki had been in this world for over a year. No longer clueless, he had gained some understanding of the Tailed Beasts.

Simply put, the Tailed Beasts were akin to biological nuclear bombs in this world.

They were special chakra-based creatures, each possessing terrifying power.

After the First Hokage of Konoha, the Ninja God Hashirama Senju, distributed the nine Tailed Beasts among the great nations, these creatures served as a form of "nuclear deterrence" due to their destructive might.

Why was it considered "weak deterrence"?

Because even with the threat of the Tailed Beasts, the ninja world had failed to maintain peace.

After Hashirama’s death, Konoha faced relentless attacks, leading to three large-scale wars over time.

Thus, Kaneki didn’t believe that capturing the Tailed Beasts alone would bring about true peace.

"While capturing the Tailed Beasts is intriguing, even if you succeed in obtaining all nine, how can you be certain that you’ll achieve true peace?"

Kaneki posed his question directly. The Tailed Beasts were undeniably powerful, but the five great nations had the means to counter them.

Clearly, Pain had anticipated this concern.

"What if we had a power even greater than that of the Tailed Beasts?"

Now Kaneki was intrigued.

"Stronger than the Tailed Beasts?"

Pain nodded. "Yes. A power capable of destroying the entire world—provided we can capture all nine Tailed Beasts."

Kaneki understood. Pain wasn’t planning to use the Tailed Beasts to intimidate the great nations directly. Instead, he intended to use their power to unlock something even stronger.

But Kaneki couldn’t help asking, "Aren’t you worried that I’ll refuse to join your organization and expose your secrets?"

"I'm not."

"If you choose not to join the Akatsuki, there’s only one outcome for you—death."

Pain spoke with his usual emotionless expression, as though his words were absolute truth.

Before Kaneki could respond, Hidan couldn’t hold back any longer and charged forward.

"How dare you talk down to me like that! I'll take your damn head, you bastard!"

Hidan’s triple-bladed scythe spun rapidly in his hands as he charged toward Pain with terrifying momentum.

Pain, however, kept his focus on Kaneki. Without even turning to Hidan, he casually raised his hand.

"Universal Pull!"

A powerful gravitational force emanated from Pain’s outstretched hand.

Hidan felt his body yanked forward uncontrollably.

Yet, instead of panicking, he grinned wildly, using the pull to increase his scythe’s speed as he slashed toward Pain.

"Fool! Gravity only makes my attack stronger!"

The enormous, sharp scythe descended fiercely, but Pain simply shifted his open palm to the side.

"Almighty Push!"

It was as if Hidan had slammed into an invisible wall. A sudden repulsive force sent him hurtling backward.

His body skidded across the ground, leaving a long trail as blood gushed from his mouth.

Kaneki observed this with a flicker of interest in his eyes.

Control over both attraction and repulsion, huh?

"Cough... That level of attack is nothing to me, Lord Hidan!"

Within seconds, Hidan had gotten back on his feet.

Pain’s eyes flickered with surprise.

After all, he had first used Universal Pull to accelerate Hidan’s approach, then unleashed Almighty Push at the peak of his speed. The combined impact wasn’t something simple, like hitting a wall—it was far more devastating.

Yet this man was completely unharmed?

Even more astonishing, Hidan charged again, unfazed.

After knocking Hidan away five times, Pain finally frowned.

"Pain, something’s off," Konan whispered.

This silver-haired, crazed man seemed utterly indifferent to his own injuries, fighting recklessly and trading blows as if his life meant nothing.

Crazier than a lunatic—is this the power of the Cult of Jashin?

Once again, Pain raised his hand and flung Hidan away. Calmly, he spoke, "Have you seen enough?"

This time, he was addressing Kaneki.

Clearly, Pain assumed Hidan’s relentless attacks were part of Kaneki’s plan to test his abilities and uncover weaknesses.

Kaneki chuckled faintly. He had been thinking that way—after all, Hidan wouldn’t die, so why not use him to probe the enemy’s capabilities?

But Hidan felt differently. Being ignored like this drove him to the brink of madness.

"You bastard! How dare you look down on Lord Hidan!"

Hidan shot a thread from his palm, trying to close the distance.

Unfortunately, Pain’s Universal Pull yanked him forward, and a black rod slipped from Pain’s cloak, piercing Hidan and pinning him firmly to the ground.

Kaneki’s eyebrow twitched, his expression darkening instantly.

---